Mad-Mutt wrote:I got a question...Am I the only one who's surprised that Lauren Faust likes fart jokes so much?

I'm not sure I'm surpised but given the facts that 1. I'm one of those fanfic writers who is so anal I demand my own fics do not buck the canon (yeesh, bad pun ) and 2. one of the ones I'm working on revolves around Barry the Bonnacon, I am extremely greatful she does.

Welp this sucks. Turns out that the Friendship is Witchcraft series has been blocked in the US. Youtube is just pure crap when it comes to handling copyright. Let us see into the world of the geniuses of Google to see how their minds work!

Dumbassgooglebigwig: It is too difficult for us to traffic what is and is not copyright on Youtube.

Imaginarysmartemployee: We could hire more people to traffic new videos to ensure that copyright is upheld.

Dumbassgooglebigwig: Nope, that would mean I would have to spend more money and actually give a damn about the site.

Imaginarysmartemployee: Well then what do you plan to do?

Dumbassgooglebigwig: Lets have a programmer create an automated program that will traffic all new videos which has no opinionation to determine the difference between parodies and actual copyright infringement. Think of all the money I can get to myself by doing this.

They must have gotten through with the appeal then as I can watch it again as well. At least that part of the system works. I just really do not like contentID. No issue with protecting against copyright, but not when something can put a claim on pretty much everything even if it does not break the law. All it will take is one screwup where an account gets banned despite doing nothing wrong and lawsuits will be all up in Googles/(Company with appeal claim)'s grill.

I still can't see FiW, other than episodes 2 & 7 (which were never blocked in the first place).

Hasbro has also recently taken down equestriagirls.com, and claiming the domain name as theirs.

The reason is recently Hasbro is trying to get China to broascast FiM, and China doesn't see why it needs to buy a show that can be freely viewed on YT.

Dibullba wrote:I just really do not like contentID.

It can't be helped. Without contentID, every time one video get deleted, three more will be uploaded. Of course, they need some serious improvement on the system.

Thank you for the interest. Here's an explanation of what's happened so far:Hasbro recently added all the MLP episodes to YouTube's auto-detect program, which is why FiW and several other videos of considerable length and views were taken down, no questions asked. No human being was involved in this automatic flagging process. That happened about 2 weeks ago, and we filed a Fair Use dispute on all the episodes. The videos were automatically reinstated in the meantime.But that ended yesterday, when all the Fair Use disputes were rejected at once. We have filed a second Fair Use dispute, as instructed by YouTube, with more explicit details on why the videos are Fair Use. If this second form is rejected, the videos will be deleted from YouTube. In the meantime, the videos are still available in regions outside the US. Episode 2 and 7 are also still visible in all regions.The first round of disputes were all rejected at once, as if automatic, so I still don't believe any person watched the videos or read the dispute. Fingers crossed that they'll consider our claims valid the second time. If they don't, and it is certainly possible that FiW is not legally fair use, we aren't sure what to do. Re-uploading to Youtube on another channel might not work because they will just be detected again. So it's off to Vimeo or something.We're still working on Episode 8, but once we upload it, it will definitely be auto-detected and unavailable. We'll file a fair use claim like we did before, and it'll be available briefly, then get taken down again. Hopefully, everyone will see it in that grace period.Let's hope for the best! -Sherclop

So wait, does this all mean we won't be able to watch MLP after it airs except on television? Damn... Well, at least this didn't hit right before this episode, so fans will have time to prepare an alternative to watching it.

I haven't watched it, and I also don't recommend it for this episode in paritcular.

Still, the idea of the episode is rather crazy. Season 3 has been without a flop so far, and I really, really hope it stays that way, because if they mess up an episode with him in it, it will cause a lot of rage.

I would not say without a flop. I still have my quips with Wonderbolt Academy. Aside from that, It by all means should be a very good episode. More Fluttershy in the spotlight is always a plus for me as well.

Well he seems like he's up to his old tricks. I just really, really don't want him to be a good guy, not even an anti-hero. He's too good as a villain. When you think about it, we aren't given much on his backstory or why he does what he does. Usually villains who's only known motivation is simply being evil are looked down upon, but Discord has this certain charm to him that makes us like him. He's got style and a sense of humor and he just enjoys being evil so much you almost can't help but view him in a charismatic light.

Its kind of the same reason why we like characters like the Joker or even bully characters like Nelson or Diamond Tiara (at least I like these characters, but don't get me wrong I also enjoy it when they get what's coming to them). They don't seem to have any reason to do what they do outside of it just being fun to them, but we still like them because they enjoy it and they have a certain charm to them.

I will say this though, if this episode confirms or even hints at any Discord/Celestia shipping I'm going to fall over laughing. Also you should all prepare for the flood of Discord x Fluttershy fanfics that are about to blow up. I'm sure we'll get at least one good one and maybe even one that's so bad its good.

Dibullba wrote:I would not say without a flop. I still have my quips with Wonderbolt Academy. Aside from that, It by all means should be a very good episode. More Fluttershy in the spotlight is always a plus for me as well.

I actually think it is the best Rainbow Dash episode so far, and possibly the entire season. Well, opinions.

Mad-Mutt wrote:Also you should all prepare for the flood of Discord x Fluttershy fanfics that are about to blow up

It should have exploded weeks ago when the episode synopsis was announced... surprisingly it hasn't.

So yeah, it's looking like anyone hoping to escape season 3 without having some of their headcanon utterly destroyed is S-O-L...

I know that in the fanfiction community the nigh-certainty that Twilight is going to become an alicorn is going to split stories almost entirely into alt-Universe continuity. I wouldn't be surprised if places like fimfiction made a category out of "Non-Coronation Universe" in reaction to the people whose headcanon will reject the idea.

My fic ALREADY splits from the main timeline after Season 2 ends, but yeah. Actually kind of a shame at how many stories that thought this idea up will get minimized because of it. I'm reading one currently called "Cry For Eternity" which outlines a scenario where Celestia falls ill and dies, Twilight taking her place. It's intriguing, because it deals VERY much with the politics she has to deal with.

Hopefully the show proper doesn't get mired in all that sort of thing. No kid wants to hear about politics.

Now, on the one hand, this feels VERY much like yet another big, fat and blatant editorial mandate by Hasbro. Giving the show a royal wedding, a prince and another princess (whose predilection for tiaras got booted like the mindless drivel it was) was last year's mandate. I'm guessing making the main character a princess was this season's. That, and justifying their line of shiny crystal pony figurines in the canon.

But much as the Crystal Ponies and the crystallized Mane Cast have been a one-time thing, so maybe will this alicorn business.

Still, I feel the slightest trepid excitement as to what might happen if it actually sticks.

Something like this COULD mark the penultimate decline of the series, ending the peak of the show's quality and control over its own destiny in favor of Hasbro reasserting their grip and cold insistence upon profiting from toys over delivering quality entertainment to growing minds.

But this show has surprised us before. Something like this might allow the series to evolve somewhat, moving the story from maintaining a status quo to providing us with arcs outside of the boundaries the show has thus far maintained.

I mean, if she becomes a princess, what is she a princess of? What will be her duty to Equestria? Why did Celestia need Discord on their side? Is something about to happen? Surely if she's a Princess, she can't just go back to the Library and shoot the shit with her friends.

Maybe, just maybe, this is the start of something grand... What if Celestia needs Twilight to fulfill a great prophecy in a far off land? Maybe we really HAVEN'T heard the last of Sombra?

What if this is setting up the next season, in which the cast will be on a great journey with a long-term goal at the end of the road? Maybe they'll pass through other nations beyond Equestria, meet other creatures, foiling villainy and solving problems along the way?

Hell, it'd be a great opportunity anyway. If Twilight's an alicorn, they'll need to at least EDIT the title intro for the series.

Harry intentionally used the occlumantic link to see Voldemort's thoughts. He was flicking lit matches at Lucius Malfoy."Your pain bores me," said Darth Nonose. "Go fetch Severus. I have some death for him."Wazit_Blade: "Gah! J-Dude just invaded the thread!"

Dibullba wrote:I would not say without a flop. I still have my quips with Wonderbolt Academy. Aside from that, It by all means should be a very good episode. More Fluttershy in the spotlight is always a plus for me as well.

I actually think it is the best Rainbow Dash episode so far, and possibly the entire season. Well, opinions.

I can understand why people enjoyed the episode and have no intention of ruining that, but here is my reasoning in saying that it was a flop for me personally. The episode was doing fantastic through the first 2/3. As soon as it got to the end though, everything just sort of had a crumble effect.

Firstly, Pinkie Pie's side story. It was a pretty funny way to get the rest of the cast involved which I saw no issues with. However, when they headed to see Rainbow Dash. They just happened to be in the right place, at the right time to be caught in the tornado in order for Rainbow Dash to say that this was the last straw. This is a bit of a more minor nitpick, but I can not help in feeling that it is forced. Like would Rainbow Dash have said it was the last straw if her friends were not involved? Also keeping in mind, Rainbow Dash willingly created the tornado along with Lightning Dust and then blamed Lightning Dust for putting her friends in danger.

Secondly, the conflict resolution had me in a fit. When Rainbow Dash quit, I was willing to forgive the fact that she had blamed Lightning Dust for the incidents as it seemed she took responsibility for herself to do what she saw was right. Spitfire telling Rainbow Dash was right and letting her back in was a predictable given, yet none the less welcomed. That welcoming quickly dissipated when she literally kicked out Lightning Dust. She was talking about moving in the right direction, and Lightning Dust by all means was a great contender for being on the Wonderbolts compared to the lack luster others. So if Spitfire really learned her lesson by saying "moving in the right direction", then why was Lightning Dust kicked out rather than simply demoting her to wing pony to "MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION!!!". Spitfire learned nothing, Rainbow Dash (although partly responsible for the incidents in the episode) did not progress in any way aside from becoming lead pony, and Lightning Dust was tossed away like trash.

Lastly, with mention of Lightning Dust being tossed away like trash. Anybody take notice to how her character progressed through the episode? At first, she was actually pretty cool and gave a decent friendly rival to Rainbow Dash. With the first team challenge, she even continued to fit the role of a risk taker outdoing Rainbow Dash with the descent. As it progressed though, she became more and more uncaring in order to force a conflict. Forgivable until the very last words she would say. She went from nice to uncaring to downright bitch to build towards the ending I despise with a passion.

Conclusion: Merriweather really needs to step up her game as a writer. Previous episode to this was Sleepless in Ponyville. That episode did amazingly well in keeping focused on a plot, creating believable conflict, and the resolution by far the best thing I have seen in any episode. Written by Corey Powell whom is a fairly new writer overall compared to the seasoned professional that should be Merriweather Lewis. Best episode from her imo though is Spike at Your Service which was not particularly plot heavy. I can handle if she were to take on comedic episodes to fill space as that episode is its own breed of entertaining compared to every other episode.

Dibullba wrote:They just happened to be in the right place, at the right time to be caught in the tornado in order for Rainbow Dash to say that this was the last straw.

Coincidence is not that unusual of a thing in life. And a lot of things are accepted until it's clear that someone might get hurt, so I think it's still a realistic scenario. As for RD also responsible for the tornado, I think that's why instead of just complaining, she quit - throwing away her whole life of hope, dreams and hard work - as a punishment to herself.

As for your other points, Merriwether can't be blamed for those.

A good conclusion and explanation for Lightning Dust was in her script: Winning got in to her, but in the end she saw her wrong, and she only got a light demotion. The time limit of the episode was just too short for the animators to put it in, but they really should have cut something else out and place that part in.

J-Dude wrote: I mean, if she becomes a princess, what is she a princess of? What will be her duty to Equestria? Why did Celestia need Discord on their side? Is something about to happen? Surely if she's a Princess, she can't just go back to the Library and shoot the shit with her friends.

Being an alicorn doesn't make Twilight a princess. In fact, she's already a princess after the Canterlot wedding. Still, she probably can't live a normal life after becoming an alicorn, plus it would look like she is "above" her friends, so I really don't think it is permanent.

As for Discord, I think it's more important that they get him off the enemy side. He will break free eventually, and next time, he wouldn't make the same mistake. There's also the theory of Discord being Starswirl, and with the book at the end of episode 2, maybe they need Starswirl himself to teach Twilight magic.

I agree with you, Dibulba. If I didn't agree before, you have convinced me with your reasoning.

Also I realize I harbor a hatred for RD because she is the similar if not same model of sporty overconfident individuals whom have tormented me into this state of further social ineptitude and dark ramblings. Also I subconsciously hate the (not-actual) irony of her being the element of loyalty when all my friends who were similar to her went and stabbed me in the back, simultaneously. Top that with her occasional occasional social naivety and cowardice, see Read em and weep. Yea she's not my favorite.

Actually, that's not quite right. Her brother would gain a title since he was the one marrying into a royal family but she wouldn't. See Pippa Middleton for a real life example of this.

True. Though as I mentioned, depending on how the sucession laws work in Equestria, Twilight's family may have had to be Canterlot nobility already for Shining Armor to marry Cadence in the first place. Twilight isn't a princess, but she may in fact be a Duchess, Countess, Baroness, Marchioness etc. already.

"For I have heard the Song of War, and to me, it sounds just like "Please, Mister Custer.""

Cogito Ergot Sum, "I think there is something wrong with this rye bread." (Aplogies to Seafrol.)